The Andrews Labor Government’s has announced it will spend $227 million in police technology. A key part of the Mobile Technology Project will deliver more than 10,000 iPhones and iPad minis to the Victorian Police force.

The Apple devices will be supplied by Motorola Solutions Australia, the winning tenderer for the job. Police and Protective Services Officers will spend less time stuck doing paperwork at their desks and more time out in the community, thanks to new mobile devices.

This marks one of the biggest technological changes to frontline policing since radio systems in patrol cars and will begin rolling out from the middle of the year.

The devices run mobile applications that are the front end input technology to connect to back-end services, of which the connectivity to is also being provided by Motorola. The devices will be used to capture evidence, carry out identity checks and swiftly report crime and other events like traffic incidents.

Minister for Police, Lisa Neville said,

“These new devices will mean officers spend more time in the community, and less time stuck behind a desk.”

“We’re helping Victoria Police build a smarter, more modern force. We’re investing in technology, recruiting more officers and making sure our police can spend more time doing what they do best – protecting Victorians.”

Those who will have access to the devices include general duties members, PSOs, transit safety division, family violence units and highway patrol units.

The rollout extends to the 3135 new police to be recruited, on top of normal recruitment levels, and deployed over the next five years. Police will issue the first devices in the middle of the year, with 8,500 deployed by the end of 2019 based on operational need and more than 10,000 within five years.

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